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My buddy was donated this whopper of an engine. It's a fuel injected gas burner with 2 plugs per cylinder and a total of 4 Scintilla mags,and is currently stuck, but we don't know how bad. Otherwise it looks in great condition.
It's a pretty complicated unit,the kind of thing you have to study just to figure out what things are or what they do. He originally thought it was diesel and it took some time to figure out it was gas powered. He had to make a special wrench just to get the shielded spark plug cables off in order to expose the spark plugs.
He is proceeding in hopes that he might get this thing running, and can use some help. Do any of you guy's know anything about it, or maybe where he can get a manual? The only info on the tag is:No. 3415, Contract No. FA-NA-81, Spec, No. ABI 1790909.

Yeah, it's Donny's, he has a weak spot for all stray engines. I'll try to get a picture. The darn thing is so complicated looking. I've looked at it three times now and see something new each time. I just discovered the mags yesterday, you can hardly tell what they are and they're hidden under some other unknown stuff. If it was'nt for the finned cyl. heads you might not recognize it as an engine at first.
Hey Harvey, are ya plannin to go to Jacktown in Jan. to see me make an ass of myself trying to handcrank that 30HP Fairbanks diesel?

Now I see why it was mistaken for a diesel. Impressive engine. It must have been a bear to maintain. If I were designing something like a tank, I'd want to keep the design as simple as possible. Then again, maybe a tank crew isn't focused on fixing their motive power in the field....maybe they have other priorites.

Tank engines were called a "Pack" or "Pax"..quick disconnects on the electrical and with several wrenches the drives could be disconnected and a couple guys could change out the entire pack in ~ two hours. They weren't designed for major field repairs.

We might have a M48 on display out at the Ft. Harrison Military Museum and possibly they have some literature.

Thought some of you might be interested in taking a look at some pictures I took last year of one of Jay Leno's cars. Engine is said to be out of a Patton tank and could be similar to this one but is carbureted instead of fuel injectiion. Take a look at:http://www.oldengine.org/members/levans/jayscar/